LITTLE Jack Close is today recovering from a bone marrow transplant that will change his life.

The plucky eight-year-old had his operation yesterday and is now ready for the battle to get fighting fit.

For more than a week Jack had to endure chemotherapy in preparation for the transplant. And today surgeons said everything went to plan.

Jack’s parents, taxi driver Bryce, 48, and dinner lady Laura, 39, and his sister, 12-year-old Lyndsay, of Rowlands Gill, are relieved the operation is over but say he will get worse before he will get better.

Jack now faces three months in isolation in hospital to protect him from picking up any infections that could ruin his chances of recovery.

Jack touched readers’ hearts when we first told of his potentially life-threatening illness last year. We launched our Give Jack a Chance campaign to search the region for a donor and finally the perfect match was found in October.

The Rowlands Gill Primary School pupil suffers from a rare blood condition which is wrecking his immune system.

Today Bryce is by his son’s bedside. He said: “Jack had his bone marrow transplant last night and the surgeon said it went fine. A transplant usually takes about three hours but Jack’s took five because his body reacted to it and he broke out in a rash and they had to slow it all down.

“They gave him medication and he has got over that now. He had a good night’s sleep and he is sitting up watching the TV this morning.

“The fight starts now, though. His body will start reacting to the chemotherapy and in about eight days his hair will probably fall out. He will probably get blisters in his mouth and throat and he will feel awful.

“The doctors say it will take between four to six weeks before he starts to feel better.

“We know Jack will feel bad but every day means he is becoming closer to getting better.”

Jack will remain in hospital for three months and will need another three months’ recuperation at home.